Most modern zoos house animals that have been rescued, either because they were wounded, abandoned as youths, or captured and caged elsewhere in the world. Pretty much all such animals would either be dead or in far worse conditions if not for the zoos taking them in.

Besides the value of zoos as houses of refuge for animals that otherwise would be unable to survive in the wild or that would be exploited by less scrupulous human captors, there’s also the immense value of their helping to raise awareness and educate people. As amazing as the modern digital age is, and as easy as it is to look up pictures and even videos of exotic wildlife in the world, it still doesn’t compare to seeing these animals in person.

People find it very easy to ignore the plight of animals they’ve only seen pictures of, or only ever heard about, but allowing people to form a more personal conection with living animals, even if only briefly at the zoo, does immeasurable good in influencing them positively toward the concepts of wildlife preservation and ecological wellness.